Published at 3:36pm
Published on 10/14/08
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1. West of Hudson St = Upper West Side
Life is simple up here above Christopher Street. Greenwich, Washington and West Streets run directly north–south, and there are two named streets between each pair of numbered streets: West 10th is below Charles and Perry; West 11th beneath Bank and Bethune; West 12th sits under Jane and Horatio.
2. Spotted Pig = Per Se
Because Mario Batali is New York’s Thomas Keller. Keller owns the French Laundry, and Batali, in his orange Crocs, always looks like he’s going to the Laundromat. 314 W 11th St at Greenwich St
3. Abingdon Square = Times Square
Okay, it’s not big on neons, but both are neighborhood hubs, and both have the cute bow-tie street formation (and late at night you might see the odd naked cowboy). Oh, and Magnolia Bakery (401 Bleecker St at W 11th St) is Toys “R” Us Times Square: best enjoyed by tourists and children, and far less exciting than promised.
4. Bleecker St = Broadway
Just like Broadway, Bleecker heads diagonally southeast, and its traffic flows downtown; so find Bleecker and you’ll always know which way is up.
5. Hudson St = Fifth Ave
The traffic on this grande dame of streets slogs unapologetically north; despite the bustle, it manages to be a thriving yet charming thoroughfare.
6. Christopher St PATH station = Penn Station
Sure, it’s claustrophobic down there, but if you’re going to complain, maybe you shouldn’t be going to New Jersey. Hit street level though, and you might think you wandered too far south: You’ll see the Archive right across the road. The enormous, blocky building has loading docks that have been turned into big-windowed lofts—just like in Tribeca. Christopher St between Greenwich and Hudson Sts
7. The Waverly Inn = Elaine’s
You used to have to be an accomplished writer to get a spot at the UES institution 16 Bank St at Waverly Pl
8. Greenwich Ave = FDR
Express yourself on the West Village FDR—by cutting corners from Seventh to Eighth Avenues.
9. W 4th St = Park Ave
This north–south artery was once called “Asylum Street.” It’s still insane: West 4th crosses 10th, 11th and 12th Streets. (Luckily the numbers run in the right direction.)
10. Commerce/Barrow Sts = Chinatown
Unlike that time you turned right off Bayard and got lost for a whole day, these streets are easy to master: B comes before C—so Barrow Street is north, Commerce Street is south.